Illinois’ assault weapons ban will remain in place, at least until a federal appeals court hears full arguments challenging a lower court ruling that found the law unconstitutional.

The ruling from a 7th Circuit appellate panel stayed last month's ruling declaring the statewide gun and ammo ban to be unconstitutional.

A ruling Thursday by the federal appeals court in Chicago allows the law to remain in place while the legal controversy it’s generated continues to work its way through the courts.

Multiple federal courts have issued contradictory rulings on Illinois' assault weapon and extended ammo magazine bans since state lawmakers enacted the bans in January 2023.

A federal appeals court panel in Chicago ruled Thursday that Illinois’ sweeping ban on high-powered guns and high-capacity ammunition magazines can stay in place while the state contests a ruling from a downstate judge who found the law unconstitutional.

"The definition is so broad, and covers things that have no bearing on the mechanical function of firearms or the ballistic performance of ammunition, so a lot of the criteria that the State of Illinois uses to define something as an assault weapon strains logic," Serritella said.

A federal appeals court in Chicago ruled that the Illinois assault weapon ban can remain in effect while the law is debated. This decision came on Thursday as lawyers representing Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and gun rights groups continue to argue over the ban,

Circuit blocks, for now, lower court’s order that held the law unconstitutional By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ assault weapons ban will remain in place,

At issue was a Hawaii Supreme Court decision that allowed the state to prosecute a man carrying a loaded pistol without a license.